Despite looming recession, manufacturing in Ohio has a bright future
Last month, Ohio updated its tourism slogan for the first time since 2015, returning to a phrase our state used from the 1980s to the early 2000s: “Ohio, The Heart of it All.” This will replace the current slogan: “Ohio. Find it Here.”
I’m not really sure how much state mottos matter, but it would be hard to deny that things are changing in Ohio.
Since 2021, Honda has broken ground on a $4.4 billion electric vehicle battery plant in central Ohio. Companies have invested billions into new solar energy projects across the state. Most exciting to me, Intel is constructing a $20 billion semiconductor manufacturing hub in New Albany.
many manufacturers are doubling down on the technology front, a push consisting of collaborative robotics integration and real-time data monitoring.
Northeast Ohio's long history with the automotive, manufacturing, advanced metals and plastics industries gives the region a strong opportunity to capitalize on the emerging electric vehicle (EV) and electric battery market, according to a report from economic development group Team NEO.
Lesser known, Ohio is absolutely dominating in solar manufacturing. “Outside of the country of China per capita, this is the most amount of solar manufacturer, manufacturing in the world,” said Aaron Bates, the CEO of Toledo Solar.
The companies are neighbors, but not competitors. First Solar supplies the utility-scale solar market and Toledo Solar supplies the non-utility market, meaning residential homes and commercial buildings.
For the next generation, the possibilities of future careers close to home are promising.
